


Home Is Where The Heart Is

by moongirl24



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-25
Updated: 2011-09-25
Packaged: 2017-10-24 00:59:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/257080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moongirl24/pseuds/moongirl24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Noah returns to Oakdale for Ethan’s birthday, Luke has something he needs to talk to him about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Is Where The Heart Is

”Ouch!”

”Shhh, Luke! Will you pipe down? You’re going to wake up the whole house.”

“Sorry, I think I tripped on one of Ethan’s toys. It’s too dark to see anything.”

“Well, we’re not turning on the light. That will wake someone up for sure.”

It was past midnight and the house had finally fallen dark and quiet. The farm had been a big, chaotic mess the whole day, with family, relatives and friends crowding every square inch of the kitchen and living room. No one could accuse the Snyders of not knowing how to throw a proper party. When they did it, they did it big, and Ethan’s birthday party was no different. The little boy had fallen asleep the minute his head hit the pillow a few hours earlier, exhausted but happy, claiming he’d had ‘the bestest birthday ever’.

Noah had arrived from LA earlier that day. Ethan had begged him to come to his party and Noah hadn’t had the heart to tell him no, even though Luke knew that Noah was pretty busy these days. But Luke hadn’t exactly been against the idea himself either. He really missed Noah; he hadn’t seen him since Christmas and that was seven months ago. They talked on the phone all the time and sent countless e-mails back and forth between Oakdale and LA, but that could never compare to actually having Noah there with him, in the flesh.

Besides, there was something that Luke really needed to talk to Noah about, and what he was going to say was not something that he wanted to tell him over the phone.

Hence the sneaking around after everyone else had gone to bed. Finding an opportunity to have a private conversation with Noah during the day had proved quite impossible, so Luke was forced to come up with a different solution. And since past experiences had taught him that the farmhouse was hardly the ideal place for privacy, even in the middle of the night, he figured that a midnight stroll might not be a bad idea. It should definitely guarantee him no interruptions and Noah’s full attention.

They managed to get through the hall, down the stairs and through the kitchen without making any more unnecessary noise. Once they were out on the porch, with the door shut behind them, Luke finally let out the breath he’d been holding.

“Do you think anyone heard us?” he asked a little nervously. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to start asking questions about why he and Noah were sneaking out of the house together in the middle of the night.

“Let’s hope not,” Noah said. “But if they did, you can bet they’re going to ask us about it first thing tomorrow morning.”

Luke silently groaned. He really did love this family, but they could be a bit too much sometimes.

It was a beautiful night outside. It was warm and clear, and the almost full moon was lighting up the path for them as they made their way down to the pond, which seemed like the natural place to go. Luke was getting more and more anxious with each step he took. What he was going to talk to Noah about was pretty huge, and he knew that no matter how things turned out, his life was going to be a whole lot different after tonight. _Please don’t mess this up_ , he quietly urged himself.

Once they reached the pond, Luke gradually slowed his steps. Behind him, he sensed Noah doing the same. He hesitantly turned around, until he was standing opposite Noah, looking straight at him. The moonlight was hitting one half of Noah’s face, leaving the other half mostly in shadow. It made his facial expression hard to read.

“So, we’re finally alone,” Noah said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. He looked expectantly at Luke. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Okay. This was it. There was no turning back now. And he figured there was no reason to beat around the bush either, so he was just going to say it. He took a deep breath.

“Noah… before you left for LA, when we were at the studio at WOAK… Do you remember what you said to me?”

Noah just stared at him for a second and then he nodded slowly. “Yeah, I remember. I remember every word of that conversation. I’ve played it over and over again in my head far too many times not to.”

Luke swallowed. “Well… one of the things you said to me was that when I was ready, I should get on a plane and join you in LA.”

Noah nodded again, a little apprehensively.

“Do you still mean that?” Luke asked, and his voice was no more than a whisper now. He was suddenly really scared. What if Noah had changed his mind? What if he’d met someone? He hadn’t mentioned anything to Luke, but it wasn’t like Noah was required to tell Luke everything.

Luke was finding it difficult to breathe all of a sudden. God, what if there was someone else? He didn’t think he could bear it if Noah didn’t want him anymore.

Again, Noah just looked at him for a moment, showing no emotions. Then his face relaxed a little, and he grabbed both of Luke’s hands in his.

“Luke, of course I still mean it. I love you, and that’s never going to change.”

Luke closed his eyes for a second, and let out a shaky, relieved breath. “Good,” he said, and opened his eyes again. “Because Noah… I think I’m ready.”

There was a long silence. Luke suddenly noticed how quiet the world was at this time of night. No sounds could be heard, except for the soft breeze that occasionally ran through the leaves on the trees surrounding the pond.

“You are?” Noah whispered finally, sounding like he didn’t quite believe it. Luke could hardly blame him. He hadn’t exactly made things easy for Noah. His heart broke a little when he thought about how much he must have hurt him. He probably didn’t deserve a second chance with Noah, probably had no right to even ask him for it. But he had to try. He owed it to both of them to take a chance, even if he risked getting hurt in the process. Noah was worth the risk.

“Yeah… I think I’ve been ready for a while now, but I didn’t want to say anything to you until I was absolutely sure, because… If we do this again, then that’s it. It’s you and me, forever. Because I can’t lose you again, Noah. I just can’t.”

“Luke.” Noah let go of Luke’s hands and cupped his cheeks instead. “You’re the one. You’re the love of my life. And I’m done pushing you away. If the last year has taught me anything, it’s that life without you is a very dark and lonely place and I don’t want to be there anymore. So I promise you, Luke. If we decide to give it another go, then you’re stuck with me. For good.”

Luke searched Noah’s eyes, seeing nothing but honesty there. He closed his eyes for a second; slowly letting out a breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding. He didn’t realize until now just how scared he had been that Noah would turn him down. He leaned forward until his lips met Noah’s and kissed him softly. He felt Noah responding, felt him opening up and let Luke in, albeit a little hesitantly, and it would have been so easy to just get lost in the kiss and in Noah, and forget about everything else. And for a minute Luke allowed himself to do just that. But only for a minute. There were still things they needed to talk about before they could really go there.

“Noah,” he said, forcing himself to pull back a little. It wasn’t easy. Kissing Noah again was amazing. “If we’re going to do this, we have to do it right. And that means that we have to get everything out in the open.”

Noah nodded, breathing hard. “I agree.” He found Luke’s hands again. “So do you mind if I ask you something?”

Luke shook his head. “No, go ahead.”

“Okay.” Noah took a deep breath. “While you were with Reid you once told me that you didn’t think that you and I were right for each other. Um… why did you say that? Did you mean it?” Noah suddenly looked really vulnerable and even in the limited light Luke could make out the fear in his eyes. _You caused that_ , a little voice inside his head whispered to him. _You hurt him, and now he’s scared._

Regret washed over Luke and he ducked his head, trying to focus on what Noah had asked him. It was a fair question, one that he had expected. He had tried to figure out an answer to it, one that made sense, but he hadn’t been able to. “Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe I meant it back then, or maybe I just thought I meant it. It was a weird time, you were leaving and Reid was there and he wanted me and I was so confused about everything.” He let his thoughts drift for a minute, remembering that time. It was hard to say now what he was thinking back then. He remembered being really upset about Noah leaving. He remembered being smitten with Reid, and amazed that a guy like him actually wanted someone like Luke. And then there were a lot of confusion and mixed feelings and then… then Reid died and Noah left, and Luke’s whole life fell apart.

He looked up at Noah. “I think that… maybe it was some pathetic attempt to prove to myself that I didn’t need you anymore. That you could just go to LA and I would be fine.” He gave a humorless little laugh. “But I was wrong, of course. There won’t ever come a time when I won’t need you. And I’m so sorry that I said those things to you back then. No matter what was going on in my messed up head, I can tell you with absolute certainty that I don’t think we’re wrong for each other. It’s the complete opposite. Nothing in this world makes more sense than you and me together, Noah. Nothing.”

“Yeah, but…” Noah looked a little uncomfortable. “What if it happens again? What if some guy comes along that catches your interest, what then? Will you go back to thinking we’re wrong together? Because Luke, I can’t lose you again either, and I’m sorry if it sounds like I don’t trust you, but-“

“Noah.” Luke gently interrupted him, holding Noah’s gaze now. “There is something you have to understand. And I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty or because I blame you. But the truth is that if you hadn’t pushed me away when you lost your sight, I would never even have looked twice at Reid.”

Noah looked a little rueful. “Really?”

Luke nodded slowly. “Yeah, really. I only had eyes for you, Noah. I was planning to spend the rest of my life with you. The only reason I got interested in Reid was because I felt like you didn’t want me anymore.”

“You’re right. I do feel guilty,” Noah said, looking down.

“No, don’t,” Luke said, gently pulling Noah’s face up towards his again. “We’re done with all that. And it’s not like I’m so innocent, you know. We’re both responsible for what happened. And it’s all in the past now anyway. What matters right now is that we can have a future together, Noah. I want that.”

“I want that too,” Noah said with conviction, “but what about Reid? It’s less than a year since he died. Are you sure you’ve had enough time to get past what happened?”

Luke closed his eyes for a moment. It still hurt to think about Reid, even though the pain was less sharp and more like a dull ache now. “In some ways I’m probably always going to miss Reid,” he said slowly, looking for the right words to explain how he felt. “He’ll always be a part of me. The time we had together was short, and it was far from perfect, but it mattered.”

Noah nodded. “Of course it did. You loved him.”

“Yeah, I did,” Luke said. “But,” he looked Noah straight in the eyes, “I didn’t love him like I love you.”

“Luke, you don’t have to say that…” Noah started, but Luke shook his head.

“Yes, I do,” he insisted. “Because it’s the truth. I could never love anyone the way I love you. It’s not possible. And I don’t want to say anything to disrespect Reid’s memory or in any way belittle what we had, but… he wasn’t the love of my life, Noah. You are. You’ve always been. And I’m so sorry if I ever made you feel otherwise.”

Noah opened his mouth to say something, but Luke put a finger to his lips to silence him. He wasn’t finished.

“What I feel for you has always been very overwhelming,” he said. “We’ve always been so connected, on so many levels. So when we broke up it almost crushed me. I didn’t want to ever go through something like that again.” He took a deep, shaky breath before he continued. “In many ways it was easier with Reid. I knew he would never be capable of hurting me that way. Because he didn’t have my heart. You do, Noah, and that’s why I’ve been so scared of being with you again. Because I know that if I lose you one more time, I won’t survive it.” His voice cracked on the last few words, and he had to look away from Noah’s face.

“Oh, Luke.” Noah moved closer to pull Luke into a hug, and Luke let himself fall into Noah’s arms. It was his favorite place in the world, and it was far too long since Noah had held him like this. He put his arms around Noah and leaned his head on his shoulder. If there was ever any doubt in his heart about where he belonged, the feel of Noah’s arms around him took it all away.

“I love you so much,” Noah whispered. “Please don’t be scared anymore. I’m not letting you go again. Not ever.”

“Good,” Luke murmured against Noah’s shoulder. “Because this time you are not getting rid of me.”

He enjoyed the warmth and safety of Noah’s arms for a few minutes longer and then he pulled back a little and looked up at Noah’s face.

“So, Noah Mayer,” he murmured softly, putting on a slightly teasing tone even though he was dead serious. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

He smiled at Noah, and was reminded of another day, in a different time, when he was lying in a hospital bed and heard Noah ask him almost the same question. Now it was his turn.

And Noah smiled back at him, a genuine, gorgeous smile that made Luke weak in the knees. “Yes, Luke, I’ll be your boyfriend,” he whispered, and Luke felt a thrill go through him at Noah’s words. It was happening. He hadn’t been sure that it ever would, but now it was, and it was an amazing feeling. He almost wanted to cry with relief, but he didn’t. This was no time for tears.

Besides, Luke could think of much better things to do. Like kissing Noah again, and this time he didn’t plan on stopping. So he moved his hand up to cup Noah’s face and smiled again, because life was suddenly so damn good. Noah returned his smile, and then Luke leaned forward, finding Noah’s lips with his own, and this time there was no holding back in Noah’s response. Instead he kissed Luke with great enthusiasm, leaving no doubt in Luke’s mind about how much he loved and wanted him.

“Noah,” he moaned against his boyfriend’s lips, and god it felt good to think of Noah that way again. He had wrapped his arms closely around Noah’s back and his hands were now working their way under Noah’s shirt in the search of warm skin because he really needed to touch Noah right now, and feeling him through the layers of clothing just wasn’t enough. He finally found what he was searching for, and he sighed into Noah’s mouth, marveling at how soft and perfect Noah’s skin felt under his fingers and how amazing it was to be touching him like this again.

But it still wasn’t enough. He wanted more of that softness, that perfection, and he grabbed hold of Noah’s shirt, trying his best to yank it off him. But he wasn’t able to focus properly on the task, not when Noah was kissing him like this, and he fumbled with the clothing until Noah got impatient and helped Luke remove it. Noah moved on to Luke’s sweater and t-shirt next, obviously a whole lot better at this than Luke was, because his clothes were soon on the ground and then Luke gasped because Noah’s mouth was attacking his nipples and it felt _so damn good_.

Luke closed his eyes and let Noah do his magic. And magic it was, because Noah had the most talented mouth. Luke felt wonderful, except that he’d already been rock hard for a while, and by now his jeans were starting to feel more than a little uncomfortable. He wiggled a little, and Noah seemed to understand what the problem was because he started to work on Luke’s belt buckle, and was soon yanking his jeans and underwear down. Luke quickly stepped out of them and kicked them away together with his shoes, and then it was his turn to get rid of Noah’s remaining clothes.

It wasn’t long until they were standing completely naked in front of each other. Luke had almost forgotten that they were outside, but now a warm breeze hit him and felt wonderful against his sweaty skin. But he didn’t have time to concentrate on that for long because Noah was already kissing him again, attacking his mouth hungrily. Luke moaned into the kiss and clutched Noah’s back, and everything was so, so perfect.

A moment later Noah pulled his mouth away from Luke’s with some effort, and rested his forehead against Luke’s, breathing heavily.

“Luke, are you sure you want to do this?” he whispered, his breath ragged against Luke’s face.

“Noah, I haven’t had sex in almost two years,” Luke panted, leaving small kisses on Noah’s mouth between the words because he just couldn’t seem to stop. “I missed you so much and I love you and I finally have you back, so believe me, baby, I’m ready. I want this.”

That seemed to be all the convincing that Noah needed. There was more kissing and Noah carefully lowered them to the ground, quickly grabbing some of their clothes and spreading them out for them to lie on. Soon Luke was on his back with Noah’s body covering him and they were kissing, kissing, kissing and Luke was so hard and-.

“Luke,” Noah whispered, pulling away again, and Luke almost groaned in frustration. When did Noah get so talkative?

“Do you have any… um… protection?” Noah mumbled and even though he couldn’t see it, Luke could tell that Noah was blushing. He had to smile. It was adorable that Noah still thought it embarrassing to ask a question like that.

“No, I don’t,” he whispered, “but Noah, you’re the only one I’ve ever been with, so…”

“You’re the only one I’ve ever been with, too. The only guy, I mean.”

Wow. Noah really hadn’t been with anyone else. Luke hadn’t been sure what to think because Noah had been in LA for almost a year, surrounded by thousands of hot men, and Luke figured there could hardly be much of a problem to find someone to hook up with, especially not for someone as hot as Noah. But there hadn’t been anyone. Wow. Luke suddenly felt the insane urge to laugh out loud with giddiness and relief.

“Well,” he murmured instead, looking up at Noah. “If neither of us have been with anyone else since we broke up… we don’t really need protection, do we?”

Noah visibly swallowed. “I guess not. But um… what about lube? It’s been a long time since either of us did this, and we probably shouldn’t do anything without-”

“In the pocket of my sweater,” Luke interrupted, because he was really starting to get impatient now. He was so hard and so ready. And so happy he had thought to grab the tube of lube from his nightstand drawer just before they left the house. He hadn’t exactly expected this, but he had wanted to be prepared, just in case. He pulled Noah a little closer so he could whisper in his ear. “But you better hurry up, Mayer, because I want you in me right now.”

“God, Luke,” Noah moaned and within seconds he had located the lube and was pouring a generous amount of it onto his hand. Luke just watched him. In the dim light he couldn’t see Noah’s face clearly, but he knew that Noah’s blue eyes had probably taken on a darker shade and that his lips were most likely red and swollen after all their kissing. His skin was glistening with a thin sheen of sweat and with the moonlight hitting him from behind he looked almost ethereal. Luke swallowed a lump in this throat as a flood of emotions rushed through him.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice full of emotion, which made Noah stop his movements for a second. But then he moved down on top of Luke again, cupping his face with one hand and using the other to brush through his hair.

“I love you, too,” he whispered and left a long, lingering kiss on Luke’s lips. “Are you ready?”

Luke trembled a little with anticipation, and nodded. “I’m ready. I want you, Noah.”

And then Noah was there, pushing inside him, his gaze never leaving Luke’s as he did, and god it hurt, but Luke welcomed it, wanted it, reveled in it. Because the pain told him that this was real and that he and Noah were real and that it wasn’t a dream this time. And it didn’t hurt for long because the pain quickly subsided, and all that was left was pleasure and passion and love, so much love.

It was almost like their first time. Except that this time, they already knew each others’ bodies so well, almost better than they knew their own, and instead of discovering new places they rediscovered all the familiar ones. Luke felt Noah’s hands everywhere, caressing, worshipping his body and Luke felt like he was flying between the stars that shone above them. The phrase ‘out of body experience’ had never rung more true than it did at that moment.

It wasn’t rushed, but it wasn’t slow either. It was just perfect. Noah moved inside him so wonderfully and hit him in all the right places, taking Luke higher and higher and higher. He was clinging to Noah, wanting him closer, needing him closer. There was nothing like this. Nothing even came remotely close. It all felt so _right_ and Luke just knew that there would never be anyone else, not for him. He wanted only Noah.

And then he couldn’t think anymore because everything exploded and someone screamed and he wasn’t sure if it was him or Noah or both.

When he finally came to, Noah was still lying heavily on top of him. Luke tightened his arms around Noah and just held him, feeling completely content after their lovemaking. He wondered if he had ever been happier than right now. The last year had been the toughest one of his life, but this moment was nothing short of perfect, and Luke wished he could stay here with Noah forever.

Just then, a warm breeze hit them again and reminded Luke of where they were. He couldn’t help but chuckle, and Noah lifted himself up a little, looking at Luke as if he was crazy.

“What are you laughing at?”

Luke grinned at him. “I can’t believe we just had outdoor sex. That’s a first.”

“But not the last, I hope,” Noah said, a smile tugging on his lips as he leaned down and gave Luke a slow, lazy kiss.

“Definitely not,” Luke murmured into the kiss, his arms coming up to rest around Noah’s back.

They kissed slowly and sweetly for a while, and then Noah carefully pulled out of Luke and lay down next to him instead. Luke found his old favorite after-sex-position and snuggled up to Noah’s side with his head on his shoulder, their legs tangled together.

“So do you still consider it an out of body experience?” Noah teased softly, and Luke had to smile at how happy he sounded. He had missed this carefree, relaxed Noah. He promised himself that from now on he would do anything in his power to keep the smile on Noah’s face.

“Oh yes, more than ever,” Luke said with a happy sigh, leaving a kiss on Noah’s shoulder. “I missed this. I missed you.”

“Me too,” Noah said, pulling Luke a bit closer to him. Luke found one of Noah’s hands and laced their fingers together. For a while they just lay there, silently watching the stars and the moon in the dark sky above them.

“You know,” Luke said after a while, “I used to regret the fact that Reid and I never got to sleep together. But you know what? Now I’m glad that we didn’t. I’m glad that you are the only one I’ll ever be with. And lately I’ve been thinking that maybe that’s why I held back with Reid.” He looked up and met Noah’s gaze. “I was waiting for you.”

Noah moved his face down to Luke’s, leaving a soft kiss on his lips. “It wouldn’t have mattered to me if you’d slept with Reid,” he whispered. Then he smiled a little. “But on a purely selfish level, I’m really glad that you didn’t. I like knowing that you’re mine, and no one else’s.”

Luke smiled to himself. He belonged to Noah. That had never really stopped being true.

“So what do we do now?” Noah asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I have to go back to LA tomorrow. And I wish you’d come with me, but I know that you can’t just leave. You have a life here.”

Luke nodded slowly against Noah’s shoulder. “Yeah.” He rose up a little and propped his head on his hand, looking down on Noah. His finger was tracing a pattern on Noah’s chest. “I want to be with you, Noah. I don’t want to be apart from you, even for a second. We’ve spent too much time away from each other already. So even if I can’t leave with you tomorrow, I will join you in LA as soon as I’ve wrapped things up here. And I think that you have some things to take care of too? I mean, you have a roommate, Noah, and if we’re going to live together, assuming that’s what you want, of course-”

“It is,” Noah said quickly. Luke smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

“Well, then we’re going to need an apartment.”

“I will start looking for one as soon as I get back.”

“Good.” Luke found his spot next to Noah again, snuggled in closely with his head on Noah’s shoulder. He loved the way Noah’s arms wrapped around him immediately, like an automatic reaction. “So, I guess we’ll get to try the long distance thing for a while.”

“I guess so,” Noah mournfully agreed. “It won’t be easy. Not after this.”

“I know,” Luke sighed. “It’ll only be temporary though. Just for a couple of months, hopefully.”

“Are you absolutely sure you’re ready for this then?” Noah asked cautiously. “I mean, it’s a big step. You’ve lived in Oakdale your whole life. And moving to LA… that means leaving your whole family thousands of miles behind.”

Luke nodded thoughtfully. “I know. I’ve considered that. And I’m not going to pretend it will all be a walk in the park. I know I’m going to miss them, a lot. But Noah, you’re my family too. You’re the most important person in my world. And it’s about time I get out there and start my own life. I really want that, and I want to share it with you.”

“Me too,” Noah said, slowly caressing Luke’s back with his hand. “I guess I’m just finding this all a little surreal. I mean, just this morning I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get you back. And now you’re lying here in my arms and we’re planning our future together in LA, and… It’s all a little overwhelming.”

“But you want it though, right?” Luke asked. “You’re happy?” He wanted Noah to be happy more than anything. Noah deserved nothing less.

Noah pulled him closer and left a kiss on his forehead. “I want it all, Luke. And I’m happy. I’m so happy. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Luke murmured, and found Noah’s mouth again, kissing him softly.

They stayed by the pond for a while longer, talking, kissing, and simply enjoying being together again. But after a while they started to get cold, despite it being a warm night, and decided they’d better head back to the house. They retrieved their clothes scattered around on the grass and quickly pulled them on, and hand in hand they followed the path back to the farmhouse.

Once they reached the porch, Luke tugged lightly on Noah’s hand to keep him from entering the house. Noah looked questioningly at him, but Luke just embraced him and pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. Because who knew when he’d get the chance to kiss Noah like that again? They were at the farm, with little hope of privacy, and Noah was leaving the next day. Luke was determined to use every chance he got.

When he pulled back, Noah gave him a smile so filled with happiness that Luke was sure he actually felt his heart skip a beat. He smiled back at him, and then he led Noah towards the door, both of them too wrapped up in each other to notice that the light in the kitchen had been turned on.

They both stopped dead in their tracks when they discovered Holden, sitting by the kitchen table with a bemused expression on his face. Luke could only imagine how he and Noah must look. Clothes wrinkled, hair disheveled, faces flushed and lips red and swollen. Not to mention the satisfied, fucked-out faces he was pretty sure they were both sporting. There could hardly be much doubt about what they had been up to.

“Good to see you, boys,” Holden said with a smile. “I was starting to think that you weren’t planning on coming back.”

Luke blushed furiously. Oh god. He did not want his dad, or any family member for that matter, to know what he and Noah had been doing. Just… no. He sent Noah a quick glance, and saw the horrified look on his boyfriend’s face. He was sure his own expression wasn’t so different.

“D-dad,” he was finally able to stutter out. “What are you doing up?”

“I just came down here to get a glass of water,” Holden said. Then he grinned a little teasingly. “I was sure you were back by now. I heard you leave hours ago.”

Luke looked down, unable to look his dad in the eyes. This was not good. It wasn’t that he necessarily wanted to keep the new development between him and Noah a secret. And they used to live together, so his dad was well aware that he and Noah weren’t exactly virgins. But he really didn’t want his father to know… so _much_. The ‘where’ and ‘when’ of things were something that he wanted to keep between himself and Noah.

 _God._ Awkward didn’t even begin to cover what he felt right now.

“So, Luke,” Holden said finally, breaking the rather uncomfortable silence. “I guess you’re finally going to LA then?”

Luke looked up at that. He met his father’s gaze, and saw nothing but joy and pride there. He relaxed a little. His dad was happy for him. A smile broke out on Luke’s face and he looked over at Noah.

“Yes,” he said, his gaze locking with Noah’s. “I guess I am. As soon as possible.”

“About time,” Holden said with a big smile, rising from his chair. He went over to Luke and pulled him into a hug and then he did the same with Noah. “I knew you two would figure it out in the end,” he said, looking at them both. “You both deserve to be happy.”

“We are, dad,” Luke said, smiling at his father and squeezing Noah’s hand. He knew that his family would be thrilled to know that he and Noah were back together, but it was still a relief to know that his dad was supporting his decisions, especially about going to LA, which was possibly the biggest step Luke had ever taken apart from when he came out. Having his father on his side made everything so much easier.

“Well, I guess we’ll go to bed then,” Luke said, because despite his father’s approval of them he was still more than ready to get out of there. The only thing that sucked was that he and Noah would have to go back to their separate bedrooms. If it was up to him, he wouldn’t leave Noah’s side even for a second for the rest of his entirely too short stay in Oakdale.

“Guys, hold on,” Holden said just as they were about to turn around and leave the room. He was smiling again. “If you two decide to stay in one room tonight I’m sure no one will mind. You’re both adults after all, and I’m sure you want to spend some time together before Noah leaves tomorrow.”

Luke felt himself blushing again, wondering if he was really that transparent, but he also really wanted to hug his dad for being so amazing. He settled for a smile and a nod though.

“Thank you, dad. We really appreciate it.”

“Yeah,” Noah said, speaking for the first time since they entered the kitchen. “Thank you, Holden.” He still seemed a little freaked out by the whole situation though, so Luke tugged on his hand and started to steer them toward the door.

“Good night, dad!” he called over his shoulder, and then he and Noah left the kitchen and went upstairs to Luke’s bedroom. Tonight, they would get to sleep together. Luke hoped it wouldn’t be long before they could do that every night.

 

***

 

The next day, Luke drove Noah to the airport. It was quiet in the car on the way over, apart from the sound of the radio that Luke had turned on to keep the silence from driving him crazy. Noah had reached over and taken Luke’s hand and he was now caressing Luke’s knuckles softly, a soothing motion that helped calm Luke’s apprehension some.

He was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand he was insanely happy. He and Noah were together again, and being with Noah was all he had ever really wanted. Noah was his life, and now they were given the chance of a fresh start. But on the other hand, that fresh start would have to wait. Noah had to go back to LA right away, and Luke was forced to stay behind for the time being. He had his foundation to consider, and Grimaldi Shipping too, since Damian left Luke in charge of it before he disappeared, and he needed time to figure out what he was going to do with those responsibilities. He could either do his job from LA or get someone to take his place here in Oakdale, but no matter what he decided to do about it, it wasn’t done in one day. So he and Noah were forced to part, again.

They arrived at the airport and got out of the car, Noah grabbing the backpack that was his only luggage. Their hands found each other again as they walked into the terminal building, neither wanting to break their connection for even a second longer than necessary.

Inside the building Noah came to a halt and turned around to look at Luke. He smiled a little sadly and reached out to touch Luke’s cheek.

“It’s just for a few months,” he said, moving his thumb slowly up and down on Luke’s cheek. “Maybe not even that. It’s not going to be easy, and I’m going to miss you like crazy, but… it’s temporary.”

“It’s temporary,” Luke repeated and nodded. He had to remember that. This wouldn’t be like the last year, with Noah living his life in LA and Luke living his in Oakdale. Now they would be moving towards _their_ life, the one they would eventually be sharing. And if they had to wait a couple of more months to get there, well, that was what they would do. The reward at the end would be worth it.

That didn’t mean that having to be separated from Noah again didn’t suck, though.

Noah pulled him in for a kiss and Luke went willingly, kissing Noah long and deep. This was the last kiss they would share in a while, and Luke wanted it to last. He didn’t even care that they were in the middle of a crowded airport. He wrapped his arms tightly around Noah, moaning a little into the kiss.

Eventually they were forced to come for air, and Noah pulled Luke into an embrace instead. They stood like that for a long time, holding on to each other, Noah’s hand running through Luke’s hair over and over. Luke hid his face in Noah’s shoulder and did his best to keep the tears from falling.

All too soon it was time for Noah to leave and Luke had no choice but to let Noah pull away. Noah kept his forehead against Luke’s for a moment though, his hands on Luke’s waist, seemingly unwilling to let him go.

“Call me when you’ve landed?” Luke whispered.

“I will,” Noah promised.

“I love you, Noah Mayer.”

“And I love you, Luke Snyder.”

Noah left one last, quick kiss on Luke’s lips and smiled a little, letting his hand brush over the side of Luke’s face. Then he turned around and left, heading for the gate, and Luke had no choice but to stay behind and watch him leave.

But this wasn’t Noah walking away from him. This was Noah walking towards the future. _Their_ future. And soon, Luke would follow him.

He just had to get through the next couple of months first. Luke wasn’t sure how he was going to do that. He already missed Noah so much his heart ached. But he would find a way. After all, he had the ultimate prize waiting for him at the end.

He smiled a little, brushed away a tear with the back of his hand, and left the airport.

 

***

 

Two months later, Luke was once again making his way through an airport terminal building, this time in LA. His eyes scanned the crowded hall, trying to catch a glimpse of Noah, but so far he hadn’t been able to find him. The mass of people were moving forward slowly, far too slowly for Luke. He cursed inwardly as he tried to push himself between two tall men, only to be blocked by a family with a bunch of kids. He didn’t have time for this. He wanted to see Noah _now_.

He couldn’t believe he was finally here. Here in LA, ready to start his new life with Noah. Everything was sorted out – he would be doing his foundation work from LA while his mom would take care of everything that needed to be done in Oakdale. The new hospital wing, which had been his main project for the past year, had already been up and running for a while. It was making a big difference to a lot of people, and was proving to be the perfect way to honor Reid’s memory.

Grimaldi Shipping had been pretty much out of his hands for a while now, ever since he hired some people to run it for him. They did most of the day to day work and reported back to Luke regularly. It was the perfect solution for Luke, because while he enjoyed working at the company, the foundation had always been closest to his heart and what he wanted to spend his time on.

Most of his stuff had already been shipped to LA and arrived a couple of days ago at the apartment that Noah had found for them. All that was missing was Luke himself. And now, he was here.

It had been a busy two months since Noah left Oakdale, something that had suited Luke just fine because it gave him less time to sit around and miss Noah. Being apart from him hadn’t been easy. There had been many late night phone calls between Oakdale and LA, many whispered ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I miss you’s’. They also got the chance to practice phone sex, which was something neither of them had tried before. Luke felt pretty stupid doing it at first, but after eight weeks they definitely started to get the hang of it, even though it could never compare to the real thing.

But more than anything else, the last two months had made Luke realize that being in a long distance relationship really, really sucked.

He stretched his head, trying to spot Noah over the ocean of people in front of him, but there were still no sign of him. Where was he?

Luke sighed, pulling the strap of his bag a little further up on his shoulder, and his thoughts drifted back to a few hours earlier, when he was about to leave Oakdale. Saying goodbye to his family and friends had been a long and emotional affair. One would think he was going to the moon, not just across the country. His siblings were crying, his friends were crying and his mother was crying – and Luke could have sworn that even his dad’s eyes were wet. But they were all happy for him, all of them more than thrilled that he and Noah were back together. And when Holden hugged him and whispered “I’m proud of you, son” into his ear, Luke cried too. But they weren’t sad tears. Even though it was difficult to leave the people he loved behind, he didn’t regret it, not for a second. Noah was his life, and not being with him was just not an option.

There was no more fear and confusion. He needed Noah like he needed air or water, it really was that simple.

And then Luke spotted him. Tall, dark and handsome, more tanned than Luke remembered and dressed in blue – one of Luke’s favorite colors on him. He had discovered Luke in the crowd and gave him a little wave, wearing a huge smile – and had he really always looked _that_ gorgeous? Luke’s heart was pounding in his chest, and then he was hurrying forward, pushing past people, not caring if he was being rude. Finally he reached a more open area and quickened his pace, halfway running now. Noah was moving now too, taking long strides towards Luke and then they reached each other and Luke didn’t even think, he just leaped into Noah’s arms.

Noah caught him and held on and they kept holding each other for a long time. Luke burrowed his head in Noah’s shoulder, breathing in the wonderful Noah scent that was his favorite smell in the whole world, and felt a sense of peace that he hadn’t felt in a long time fall over him.

“Welcome home,” Noah whispered in his ear.

Luke hugged him a little tighter. He really was home. Home with Noah.

Finally.

THE END


End file.
